Beginner query - scroll chuck

[Sturdee]

Northern machinery co. Preston vic. Ha ha ha

I suppose the best thing would be to give them a call and ask what the thread size would be. I'm sure they can help you for when I was looking at TS some years back they were very helpful.


Peter.

[NCPaladin]

I have never heard anything bad about the Vicmarc but I have the Nova. The SN2 is very good but for your size lathe the G3 will handle anything you can spin. It accepts/rated for the same jaws as the SN2 except for the powergrips and the 130mm (it is rated for the 100mm).
My lathe has a 16" swing but I use the G3's as much or more than the SN's and SN2s.
Not sure what they sell for there but on the bay here you can get them for about $135, insert and shipping included.

If you have the time, here is a very good video which covers almost all holding methods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUXil-5dEeo

[Paul39]

Cheers guys. I'll have a crack at attaching the images.
There is an old catalogue in the house somewhere that came with it (no specs though)
4 speed pulley system - single phase motor (I firmly believe non original)
I've changed the belt to a t-slot, antivibration mounts etc... I've turned some blackwood at 12mm...so the centres aren't too bad
yep hollow head and tail

As this is likely to be your starter lathe, think hard about what direction your turning may take you. Lathes with square tube beds tend to flex so the headstock is more or less holding still, the tool rest and tail stock are going up and down and back and forth. Not necessarily the same direction at the same time.

You can stabilize the bed by making a block of wood that will fit snugly between thr bottom of the rails and the bench top. Put another block of wood on top of the tubes close by the under block and run a long bolt through the block and the bench top and put a big washer and nut there to snug everything down.

If the bug bites, you will probably will be looking for a cast iron bed lath, and if you lean toward bowls, more swing and bigger spindle nose.

If you are thinking in that direction, get an chuck that will take an insert for a 30 mm X 3.5 (common in AU) spindle thread or 1 1/4 inch X 8 tpi (less common in AU, common in USA).

You would get the new chuck with insert to fit your current lathe, and if you upgrade to a bigger lathe you only need to buy an insert.

http://www.vicmarc.com/default.asp?contentID=686

It is possible to buy an adapter for a large spindle to small bore chuck but that extends the chuck farther from the spindle and any run out is magnified.

I have a German made Hegner with 33 mm X 3.5 spindle. I found a barely used chuck set with 3 sets of jaws for $50 but threaded for 1 inch x 8 tpi. I took a chance on a Chinese 33 mm X 3.5 to 1 inch X 8 tpi adapter and got lucky. Very little run out.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LA3318.html

See also: http://www.teknatool.com/support/how...e%20thread.htm

[bairdy380]

Thanks Paul thats good advice. From 1st fire up in the shed when I saw the initial vibrations it was a bit of....ooooh dear....anyhoo. I've weighted the stand, vibration mounted the bed, re-shimmed the motor swing arm (that was about 30% of the issue), vibration rubber mounted the "replacement" motor, replaced the original vbelt which had pulley memory with a t-slot (65%) better...now there may be a tiny bit of vibration, but I havent done enought work since to confirm it. Physically clamping the bed as you suggest does sound good too. No firm idea what/how I'm going to use it....more an occasional tinker I think. Going to try a pedestal for a bird feeder for a christmas present and possibly some basic kids toys...planes/cars etc....Turned down some nice blackwood infills for a jarrah photoframe, they came out alright....you could see where some scribing wasnt solid...but that was more the piece physically flexing due to force and diameter....think it was about 7mm (-) by that stage at the neck.
But I think the scroll chuck will give me better flexibility to do some of the things I am considering, and the model recommendations seem to be spot on what I am considering.

[bairdy380]

Yep its 8 tpi thanks Jim....now to start looking. Cheers all

[bairdy380]

OK, so went to the club last night and all agreed a scroll chuck is a good investment.
I know the vicmark and teknatool reputation, just checking if anyone has got/used/heard of the McJing equivalent?...its about 1/2 the price, which in an odd way concerns me slightly....I'm going to ask Santa, but need to have a good excuse for Santa to cough up!
Cheers
Peter

[Jim Carroll]

Stick to the 2 known brands as spares and extras are readily available

Vicmarc is the No1 choice

[bairdy380]

Good days this weekend, asked the mil if there was any more bits and bobs floating about for the lathe....turned up yesterday with a Bonham scroll chuck, drill chuck, Morse taper drill bits and a few more odds and ends....very happy camper!

[Oldgreybeard]

Hi Pete,
You will enjoy the Bonham chuck - not as good as the Vicmark, but a good serviceable chuck.
You didn't mention its condition, but I suspect it might be like mine and could do with a little TLC. has made 5 short videos on dismantling and servicing scroll chucks, you will find them in the forum video section (https://www.woodworkforums.com/vbtube...n-introduction). I watched them all and had no trouble dismantling, cleaning and reassembling my Bonham following 's instructions.
I used WD40 and 00 grade steel wool to clean off the surface rust and other 'gunk'.

Good luck.

Bob

[Cliff Rogers]

.....turned up yesterday with a Bonham scroll chuck, drill chuck, Morse taper drill bits and a few more odds and ends....very happy camper!

Wow, that will keep you busy for a couple of months, I have 2 of the Bonhams, they are good solid chucks but they go rusty very quickly so you need to clean it up & then give it a good coat of your favourite rust preventative, I use Trad Wax on mine.